


Unexpected Complications

by Shadesofnight



Category: Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, multiple MCs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-13 03:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5692270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadesofnight/pseuds/Shadesofnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yarrow is your average Jiyel Scholar. She spends her days doing what you'd expect most Jiyel Scholars to do... reading, debating various topics with her family, sneaking out her window, and stealing from old ladies. An idyllic and peaceful, quiet existence (just ignore the shouting, those people simply misunderstood the true purpose behind her actions).</p>
<p>That is until one small, deceptively innocent looking letter arrives and throws every carefully laid plan about Yarrow's future up in the air. Didn't these people realize that she already took the infamous test for the Seven Kingdoms Summit just two years ago and failed terribly??</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Life of a Scholar

**Author's Note:**

> I put all my 7KPP MCs into the same universe along with a friends MC. So as far as this fanfiction is concerned, the true Main Character of the story (in terms of the game events) is the Wellin Countess, who you may see glimpses of. Yarrow and my other MCs will follow their personal plots and anything extra that I decide to cook up for them. So you can expect things to deviate from the game plot at times. Or a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem.

 

_Jounal Entry #1_

_Cousin Jiya has married. This would be a matter of no consequence, but for the fact that she had taken the tests to be a representative of Jiyel at the Seven Kingdoms Summit. Due to her sudden change in marital status she is no longer qualified to attend, and in an entirely illogical move, I have been chosen instead. My disagreement with this decision, which I voiced in several formally written letters of complaint, has been noted, and ignored. Even a lengthy numbered list was not enough to sway those who made this decision. Staging a protest is also unfortunately not an option as I am lacking both enough time and resources to do so._

 

* * *

 

The brunette huffed a silent sigh as she set her quill back in its place and carefully blew on the freshly inked parchment to hasten its drying. A light dab with one fingertip left an imprint of half a letter, confirming that it wasn't dry yet. Even the ink wasn't cooperating with her today.

Standing, she rubbed the black smudge off her finger and turned to resume her previous task. Neatly folding and packing each item of clothing that she would take with her was necessary, if boring. Yarrow’s lips tugged down a little at some of the garments. These were not all items that she would have chosen herself. Considering her lack of knowledge about the Summit however, she had to defer to the guidance of others to aid her.

What little guidance she could find at such short notice anyway. Which basically meant the elderly historian who seemed to live half in the past most of the time. The woman was only able to travel at such short notice because she literally had nothing better to do.

Yarrow had unfortunately encountered the old woman before. It wasn't a pleasant encounter. Largely because Yarrow had been trying to put some of the pickpocketing skills she'd witnessed some of the less fortunate townsfolk performing into practice.

First attempts at learning a new skill were rarely successful, and this had been no exception. It didn't matter that her intention had been to return the item afterward, because she was caught red-handed taking it. Normally one who could withstand lectures without much fuss in the name of possibly learning something, even Yarrow had been deterred from ever going near the old woman again after that verbal barrage. There had been absolutely nothing useful or worthwhile to learn from the hour-long spiel. And it would take more lectures to prove it (which she wasn't willing to subject herself to), but she was almost certain that she felt parts of her brain shriveling up as she attempted to listen.

And to think, all she had tried to take was a pouch full of herbs instead of anything of actual value, hoping to mitigate any potential trouble caused by failure.

At any rate, Yarrow still felt that the look of horrified disgust on the woman's face when she realized that this was the one being sent to represent Jiyel was overdone. You'd think she'd burned all the woman's books and started praising non-existent entities!

Thus, subject to the old historians whims Yarrow had been forced to pack several garments from her wardrobe that had never before seen the light of day, and a few that she was sure weren't even her own. Whether they were a relatives or the historians, she had no idea.

On the positive side, the historian had actually proved her use in another way. Books. Yarrow had been very pleased when the woman presented her with several volumes covering the history of each of the different Kingdoms that would be attending the Summit. She considered this sign of usefulness to be a truce between the two of them, even if the old woman still had a slightly nasty glint in her eye.

Glancing at the small stack of books fondly Yarrow felt the corners of her lips turning up. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad if she could simply find ways to learn whatever she needed to know. If she didn't disgrace her country, she would consider it a success.

As another item of clothing passed through her hands to be folded and packed with its brethren, it occurred to Yarrow that, as unlikely as it was, this may be the last time she would be seeing this place.

That thought made her pause, hands halting in their task. She let her eyes drag across the room committing every detail to memory. The tidy bookshelves, perfectly arranged furniture and a few items of sentimental value scattered about in obscure places where they couldn't be quickly tidied away.

But the far wall, that contained the thing of most value in the room: Her gateway to freedom.

It was a modest window with a slightly rickety frame and a large, gnarled cherry tree that always reached towards her room so invitingly...

A sudden impulse surged through her, eyes lighting up at the prospect, wasn't it considered rude to decline an invitation?

The remaining clothes flew into her bag in a semi-haphazard fashion, the history books soon joining the stack of luggage in a less than perfect manner. Lastly she checked her journal again, before snapping it shut and slipping it between two of the history books.

Plan of action set, she hitched up her skirt and secured it to one side so it wouldn't get in the way, then strode to the window and pushed the stubborn frame to the side. In a well-practiced move her legs slid over the sill to hang down until the toes of her shoes grazed the closest branch.

Grabbing another branch for balance the newest Jiyel delegate easily hopped out and retraced the now very familiar route down the branch to the trunk, then gradually descended until her feet once more hit solid ground.

One quick look around told her that she hadn't been spotted, and breaking into a hasty sprint across the lawn the young woman soon reached a hedge wall and burrowed headfirst straight into it. She popped out the other side with only a few strands of hair in disarray and loose leaves decorating her person.

Fortunately, no one else was within the vicinity to witness her grand escape. Not that people usually lurked in this side alley anyway. Through a lot of quiet observation (which may or may not have involved sneaking and hiding) Yarrow had learned that those who didn't shut themselves in rooms reading everyday actually had very busy and varied lives.

Releasing her skirt back to its normal length she smoothed down her clothes before heading off towards the marketplace to find a good spot to sit. The markets always had the most interesting people.

Nodding politely in greeting to a few locals as she passed by, Yarrow made a beeline through the roughly cobbled streets towards her target. It was unlikely that anyone had discovered her absence, especially so soon. But still, she wanted to get somewhere out of the way to minimize the chances of being easily found, just in case they were looking for her.

Her shoes weren’t made for traipsing through streets or climbing trees of course, scholars weren’t expected to be doing such things (unless an important manuscript had escaped into a tree, and from Yarrow’s experience, they only ever did that with encouragement). So, thin as her shoes were, she felt all the imperfections and bumps in the cobbles beneath her feet. But she didn’t mind, instead Yarrow liked to think of it as mapping out the streets with the soles of her feet. And who knew, maybe one day she’d stumble upon a secret stash of some sort hidden beneath the cobbles.

One corner rounded, then another… And finally, her goal was in sight. She could smell the freshly baked wares, different varieties of fruits, and all manner of trinkets ranging from incense burners to delicately crafted miniature study books. But none of those were truly the reason she liked to come here so much. What she wanted was something much less solid, but much more useful.

The day was bright, with a slight wind curling between the buildings to ruffle market awnings every so often. Yarrow stood atop the small hill on which the market rested and spent a moment taking it all in. The sights, sounds, smells…

Then she turned to the side, feet padding over a well-worn but hidden path through some vegetation that ended at the trunk of a rather large old tree. Said tree had a series of notches carved along its length, just big enough to provide hand and footholds for children. Or scholarly ladies going where they shouldn’t.

Years of practice allowed Yarrow to scale the tree with ease. It and the cherry tree outside her window were familiar old friends. With a smile she settled down on a comfortable perch, legs dangling as she turned her attention to all the people milling about below.

This was why she liked to come here. To watch ordinary people going about their daily lives, and hopefully pick up one or two practical skills from them along the way to try out herself. They couldn’t shoo her away up here. It almost seemed like any other day really, sitting and letting the day pass by.

But the large ship docked at the small port in the distance said otherwise. It spoke of change.


	2. Testing a Theory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem.

_Journal Entry #2_  
  
_Took a small break after packing was completed. Mrs Ayel noticed an inconsistency upon my return. Words were exchanged. It is my belief that she is responsible for the book on etiquette and good behavior that I found included in my luggage. I will make sure it is last on my reading list. Arriving and boarding the ship was uneventful. The other Jiyel delegates have made no efforts at commencing introductions or communications with me. This is not unexpected._  
  


* * *

  
  
The ship swayed again as Yarrow meticulously cleaned her quill and tucked it away in its small travel case, followed shortly by the stoppered jar of ink that accompanied it.  
  
Internally, she still scolded herself for neglecting to notice that one leaf left in her hair a few days before which had tipped off the old historian about her recent activities. The etiquette book, it turned out, was the most dull and boring thing she’d ever tried to read. Perhaps she could accidentally lose it at the Summit so she’d never be tempted to actually try and read it again. On the other hand, it could also prove to be a good cure for insomnia.  
  
Testing the newly inked parchment and satisfied at the non-inky fingered result, she flipped the journal shut and stowed it away with her other books again. Fortunately this late at night she was unlikely to run into anyone else, though during the day the other delegates often spent time in this room. They didn’t appreciate her company, that much was clear.  
  
Yarrow gathered up her books against her chest, tucked the quill and ink case under her chin, and lifted the candle with her remaining free hand. The creaking of the ship and the restless sea surrounding it were the only other sounds as she quietly made her way back to the crew and servants quarters to place her belongings once more with the rest of the luggage.  
  
A quick breath and the candle was blown out, just a thin ribbon of smoke ghosting through the air. But she hesitated to climb into her bed just yet…  
  
From the moment Yarrow had set foot on the ship her journey had become a very informative and educational experience.  
  
Firstly, the bed that had been set aside for cousin Jiya with the other delegates was unexpectedly damaged. No one knew how it happened. The two most important delegates Duke Lyon and Lady Avalie both had their own small rooms on the ship. Apparently no one else had seen anything. So Yarrow instead had to sleep with the ships crew and servants. This wasn’t actually such a bad thing, as the other delegates were constantly snubbing her anyway, and having the chance to live among the crew and servants allowed her to observe and learn without having to sneak around. Even if they did still refuse to actually teach her any of their skills.  
  
The reason for the ill will that the other delegates had for her was obvious. They had all taken the tests, proved themselves worthy to be here and represent Jiyel. She had not. And to be honest, she also would have preferred not to be here. But as there was nothing to be done about it, she was instead going to try and make the most of the experience.  
  
If she looked at things a different way, this was a one-off opportunity. Yarrow had actually taken the Summit test two years ago when she had reached twenty years of age, she had failed. Miserably. However the discovery of an error within the tests themselves had invalidated the most recent batch of results, which hers had been among. Those participating were allowed to decide to sit the test again or not. Yarrow declined.  
  
She hadn’t so much as thought of the Summit or its tests since then. Until now. Now, Yarrow was certain that if she’d had to take that test again, she still wouldn’t have passed. From Jiyel she may be, but she was awful at tests. There was just something about having a blank sheet of paper in front of her loaded with questions that shut her brain down faster that a Corval man could lock up his wives. And yet she was able to take part anyway, so she would do the best she could.  
  
Stifling a yawn she lingered a moment longer in indecision, then, a thought. Carefully Yarrow placed the candle upon her night stand, eyes beginning to light up with excitement. This was an excellent time. Choice now made, with a quick turn she was already inching her way back out of the room, arms stretched out as she tried to navigate by touch and avoid bumping into things.  
  
Yarrow had spent most of the day watching the crew work at their craft, she’d never been close enough to a ship before to see how they actually worked. The stern men and women ignored her questions, but she still liked to think she’d figured out a few things from just seeing the way they worked. And now, under the cover of darkness, it was the perfect opportunity to try some of those things for herself.  
  
Creeping through the hallway she stayed alert for sounds of movement coming from any other areas of the ship. She thought there might be someone snoring, but that was it-  
  
Out of nowhere, her toe suddenly collided with something solid. Yarrow sucked in a sharp breath, alarmed. There had been only a dull thud as the object was jostled slightly. Thankfully she was moving at such a slow pace that the collision hadn’t been too forceful. Still, she froze, listening intently for a sign that someone had heard it.  
  
Minutes passed at an agonizing speed as she forced herself to count out the seconds. Finally, she was satisfied that no one was coming. Blindly reaching down, her hands soon found the culprit - a wooden bucket left on one side of the hallway. Making sure she moved around the object without kicking it again, Yarrow resumed her slow creep through the pitch black hallway.  
  
Her next obstacle was the stairs. Stairs that creaked enthusiastically whenever anyone dared tread upon them. There was no other way to get up on deck, but maybe she could minimize the noise by sticking close to the walls? It seemed like a theory that could make sense, the only way to find out was to test it.  
  
The first step groaned as expected while she gradually let more and more of her weight press down upon it. But it was considerably less than it would have been had she used the middle of the step instead. Once her foot was firmly in place she paused and listened again. Nothing. The process was repeated for each step in turn until she finally reached the top.  
  
Carefully opening the door Yarrow was pleased to note that there was enough moonlight through the cloud cover overhead to see. Walking on the deck without having to worry about someone scolding her was refreshing. The smell of sea air was strong, waves lapping all around to create an almost soothingly rhythmic sound.  
  
It was a shame she hadn’t kept the candle, as inspecting things up close wasn’t as easy with such dim lighting. Still, Yarrow took her fill wandering about and examining the various parts of the ship that she hadn’t been allowed near previously. She wanted to try something, but it had to be small, couldn’t be anything that might do something risky like knock the ship off course.  
  
Her eyes spied the rigging leading up to a small perch where a lookout was supposed to be camped. This decision took less than a moment to make.  
  
Now, she’d seen a few of the crew shimmying up and down the rigging that hung either side of the main mast. It looked easy. That didn’t mean it would be, but she wouldn’t know until she tried.  
  
Stepping up to the thick grid of rope Yarrow grabbed hold of one of the pieces, then placed her foot on one of the squares, testing its strength before lifting herself up to place her other foot on another of the squares. So far so good, things felt slightly precarious clinging to the rough rope as every breeze sent it swaying a little, but it wasn’t unmanageable.  
  
Taking a breath, she began climbing upwards, very slowly at first, but gaining confidence as she went. It was hard work, different to climbing a tree, but seemed like something she could do. The crew must have improved with lots of practice over the years.  
  
It was immensely satisfying to reach the halfway point. Then a breeze swept up, whipping her hair around her face and jostling the rigging with her on it. She ignored it, making sure she maintained her firm grip and moved her foot up to the next rung.  
  
Suddenly her weight swung to the side, one foot slipped, missed the rung and went straight through it. Cold panic shot straight through her as the sudden shift in weight tore the rope out of her hands and she fell backwards.  
  
Breath caught in her throat, obscenities were all that came to mind.  
  
Until everything jolted painfully and Yarrow found herself now hanging precariously upside down with one leg caught up in the rigging. One leg that was the only thing currently holding her up.  
  
Eyes wide in alarm and heart thundering she stared into the night, badly shaking hands now clutching the rope either side but not daring to move again for a full minute.  
  
This problem wasn’t going to fix itself.  
  
Swallowing, Yarrow swept her eyes over her tangled limbs and attempted to asses the situation. Left leg bent at the knee, rigging twisted and caught holding just over said knee. Other leg bent at an uncomfortable angle but unsecured. Hands gripping the rungs tightly, but that wouldn’t be enough. Especially with how weak and wobbly she now felt from the fright.  
  
Logic. Thinking logically would help… First things first, she needed to carefully correct her position while making sure she maintained a tight and secure grip on the rigging.  
  
Taking another breath to try and calm herself Yarrow released one hand and tentatively reached up, grabbing a slightly higher rung. Then she did the same with her other hand. Repeating this process she managed to slowly pull herself upright, being very careful not to move her trapped leg yet.  
  
So far so good. Cold sweat beaded down her back as she took a few more deep breaths and moved to the next stage, shifting the free leg until her foot was settled securely on one of the rungs for support. With a little trepidation she shifted her weight onto said leg. So far so good.  
  
Now for the real test, she tugged at her other leg.  
  
The rope didn’t shift. Keeping her thoughts focused Yarrow readjusted her weight, shifting it to one side and unclenching the other hand. Slowly she moved it down and began working at the rope with trembling fingers. It required patience, gradually loosening and widening the loop around her leg until she could slip it over her knee. Her hand moved back up and latched onto the rigging again while she gingerly slid the rest of her leg free.  
  
Of course it caught on the heel of her foot, but with a lower lip clasped between her teeth and more gentle maneuvering the rope finally released her from its grasp.  
  
The climb back down to the deck was a very long and nerve-wracking one, and once both feet had returned to the solid deck below, Yarrow gratefully sank down and just sat. Not thinking. Simply letting all the nerves in her body calm down after their recent panic.  
  
Next time, maybe she should try it in daylight. At a port. With people around. And ask permission. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone actually willing to show her either.  
  
One thing was certain: It was _not_ as easy as it seemed.


	3. A Sea of Delegates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem. There are also some lines of game dialogue in this chapter, though I've tried to keep them to a minimum.

 

 _Journal Entry #3_  
  
_Journey to the Isle via ship was uneventful. Crew refused to aid in my understanding of their craft. Got reprimanded for catching a fish. At least one of the other delegates was seasick. Especially after I showed her the fish. Upon arrival my fellow Jiyel delegates all disembarked promptly, they seemed to be well versed on the way things will function. I am not. A butler was waiting for me and showed me to my room. He says he will be helping me conduct my business at the Summit. There are two maids that accompanied him. They seem to think I require aid in dressing and performing basic tasks. Still, help is appreciated. Even though they refused to teach me some of the practical skills that they obviously know._  
  
_Note: The castle looks to be quite large. I will find time to investigate more of it._  


* * *

  
  
Keeping the frown from her face was taking more effort than Yarrow had expected. Not only had that vindictive historian Mrs Ayel put in an overly fancy dress complete with ridiculously long sleeves. She’d also put in hair ornaments. Dangly ones that chimed annoyingly every time she walked, announcing her presence whether she liked it or not. The temptation to simply rip all the irritating things out and toss them through the window was strong.  
  
But then the maids or butler would have had to fetch the things, so the result would have only been wasted time.  
  
Besides, Yarrow was a perfectly rational, calm individual. It was illogical to consider such things the bane of her existence. She could put up with this until the feast was over. It merely required patience… and ignoring that taunting chime situated right next to her ear.  
  
Eyes scanning the room laid out before her Yarrow noted each of the delegates that she recognized from their descriptions. The plan of action which had started when she was first given brief notes to study on each of the people attending was now beginning to slowly take form.  
  
Her first task, was information gathering. Both in the conversations she participated in to learn more, and staying aware of the other conversations going on around her as well (while making sure her head moved as little as possible to keep those distracting _things_ in her hair still). Idly sitting and observing the local markets near home had prepared her well for that. The more she knew about each delegate and what they preferred, the better.  
  
‘A man unprepared, was a man soon to be dead’ one of her tutors had always liked to say.  
  
And certainly, while she could identify a number of delegates from their descriptions, actually seeing them in person gave her a much clearer impression of their character. Or at least what they chose to show of their character.  
  
All Princes had of course already been struck off her list as potential matches, their odds much too low to bother wasting her limited time with. Some of the Princesses however may prove to be valuable allies, and Yarrow suspected that this was the goal she was most likely to be able to actually accomplish.  
  
At any rate, she would go for the familiar first, there were after all two Jiyel delegates that she had yet to meet. And being here in the company of others they were much less likely to simply spurn her than they would have been while still on the ship.  
  
The next step in the plan was to identify the most kind and gentle-natured of the other delegates during her conversations so she could move on to speak with them next. They would be the least risky and easiest to foster potential alliances with.  
  
Now, it was time for her to make her move.  
  
Yarrow was sure she’d never seen such opulence in her entire life, and likely wouldn’t again after the Summit, but she didn’t let the intricate architecture or perfectly laid out table settings distract her from her purpose. Those could be admired later.  
  
Moving with what she hoped was a calm and composed expression on her face, Yarrow made her way towards the Jiyel delegates. Most were standing in a bunch and appeared to be having a debate about some academic subject or another, unsurprisingly. But there was one man standing off to the side away from the others. He looked like he’d rather sink into the floor than be here, so identifying him as one of her targets, she honed in on him first.  
  
“Duke Lyon” Yarrow greeted him respectfully.  
  
This man had a reputation for being as easy to talk to as a dead fish. Still, reputations alone were not a reliable way of judging a person. She also began to make a mental note of the other delegates around the room and how they were conducting themselves.  
  
The Duke before her had long dark hair half tied up and secured in place, and the sort of clothes you might expect one of the wealthy of Jiyel to be wearing, if not in the slightly haphazard manner that he was.  
  
He turned towards her, much taller than she’d expected and face devoid of expression as he beheld her through his spectacles, “Lady Yarrow.” He said, then paused for a while before adding “Unfortunate, that business with your cousin.”  
  
The cloud of silence this man projected around himself was almost stifling, even for someone who wasn’t a social butterfly. Yarrow nodded, agreeing with his statement, “It was unexpected.”  
  
After another pause Duke Lyon let out a long-suffering sigh, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he preferred not to be engaged in a conversation. Yarrow observed him carefully for a moment, he’d scored the highest in the tests, so he was intelligent. Yet he obviously didn’t want to put any effort into actually interacting with those around him. This was at odds with the supposed purpose of the Summit. It was therefore highly possible that he was under pressure to be here.  
  
While Yarrow could emphasize with being forced to attend, she herself was not fortunate enough to be in a position to spurn all contact with other people (if she had been in such a position then investigating this strange, interesting place would have been her highest priority).  
  
Determined to get something useful out of this conversation, Yarrow decided to ask a question about something more intellectual. The man was supposed to have a brilliant mind, so perhaps he would find the topic more suitable while she may gain some extra knowledge in the process.  
  
“Have you read much of philosopher Zhian’s works?” she ventured cautiously.  
  
The Dukes eyes immediately sharpened with interest. “Not many are familiar with her theories and writings as they are not largely taught. May I ask how it was you came across such a thing?”  
  
Relieved that her gamble had paid off and this hadn’t merely lead to a blank stare and end to the conversation, Yarrow readily explained “A tutor of mine thought I should know what was needed, and what was not. He sought to expand my knowledge with works such as hers.”  
  
This of course led to more questions back and forth, and before Yarrow knew it she was engaged in an engrossing discussion with the Duke about the merits of various influential and obscure works. It may not have been relevant or useful for the Summit itself at all, but it was interesting all the same.  
  
Unfortunately, her time was limited and she knew it was best spent getting to know a number of different people in order to gain more insight into the workings of the other Kingdoms delegates.  
  
Yarrow smiled and bowed her head as she curtsied the way she’d been told to, “I enjoyed this conversation, thank you for speaking with me Duke Lyon.” And it was true, he had a lot of knowledge that he was willing to share and at least seemed honest. Yarrow mentally categorized him as someone she wouldn’t mind befriending.  
  
His response was immediate, “Of course, if you would excuse me.” He said shortly, but his eyes and manner seemed the tiniest bit friendlier than when they first greeted each other.  
  
After parting from Duke Lyon, Yarrow reluctantly decided to move towards the only Jiyel delegate left that she had yet to meet. Reluctantly, because from the glimpses she’d had of the woman interacting with others during her conversation with the Duke, there was something about this woman that set her teeth on edge the nearer she got. It was completely irrational, which was why she was going to converse with the lady anyway.  
  
Much to Yarrow’s horror, Lady Avalie wore dangling hair ornaments, _bells_ in her hair, _obscenely_ long sleeves _and_ a length of fabric that almost seemed to float around her form. In short, the whole outfit was something from Yarrow’s worst nightmares. She just hoped none of her maids saw it and started getting ideas.  
  
The lady herself stunningly beautiful, with lush long dark hair, chocolate eyes brimming with curiosity and skin that rivaled the smoothest marble statues. This was no surprise of course, for Lady Avalie’s beauty as well as her intelligence were both well known in Jiyel.  
  
As Yarrow approached the young woman turned with a soft tinkle of bells and smiled prettily at her, but appeared to be having trouble remembering something if her expression was anything to go by. The feeling in Yarrow’s gut churned…  
  
Curtsying politely, she pushed the feeling aside “Lady Avalie.”  
  
There was a pause. It seemed Lady Avalie was still struggling with her words. Yarrow heaved an internal sigh and added to her greeting, “I am Lady Yarrow.”  
  
Avalie’s eyes suddenly lit up in apparent recognition as she curtsied in return, “Of course, Lady Yarrow. Please forgive my forgetfulness, it can be difficult to recall so many names correctly.”  
  
Yarrow would have agreed with the sentiment completely, there were a lot of names to remember and she was sure there were some she herself had forgotten… However Lady Avalie had both passed the Jiyel Summit test with the second highest score, and had a large amount of time to prepare for the Summit itself. Preparation which would have included memorizing the names of her fellow delegates. It was true that Yarrow herself was a late addition as a delegate, but someone as intelligent as Lady Avalie would have no problem with one additional name.  
  
There was something deceitful about the woman, Yarrow was sure of it… In a completely illogical, feeling in her gut kinda way.  
  
“My late addition is likely what caused your lapse in memory Lady Avalie. Memorizing all the names in this room would hardly be taxing on intelligence such as yours.”  
  
Said lady widened her eyes in surprise, fluttering her lashes bashfully before allowing a modest smile “I fear you overestimate me Lady Yarrow, but I shall take it for the compliment it is.”  
  
The remainder of Yarrow’s conversation with the lovely Lady Avalie proved to be an excellent way to wear her patience thinner and thinner with every word spoken. Everything was false, from the saccharine sweet expressions to the carefully chosen words that never mean what they appeared to. This was exactly the sort of thing Yarrow had hoped to avoid, so much so that she took the first opportunity to exit said conversation and beat a hasty retreat.  
  
Unfortunately as much as she would have liked to never speak another word to Lady Avalie again their being delegates from the same kingdom and the expectation of politeness at every turn made such a thing unlikely.  
  
Yarrow did however find that the limited time for each conversation was an absolute blessing in this case.  
  
Her two conversations thus far had also provided a useful opportunity to observe the other delegates as they moved through their own discussions.  
  
Of the Revaire delegates their Prince appeared to be a tempestuous and ill-mannered brute, while Princess Gisette seemed to have a cold, aloof manner which turned cruel when dealing with those who displeased her. Yarrow had already witnessed one delegate cowering before the Princess while others gathered around hoping to stay on her good side. Definitely one to avoid, along with her brother. In fact of all the Revaire delegates there was only one who caught Yarrow’s eye, and that was because he didn’t quite seem to fit in with his fellows. His name eluded her, but his manner was more easy-going than those around him, and he actually seemed capable of conducting a conversation without insulting someone. Introducing herself to him might be a worthwhile endeavor.  
  
But before she did that, Yarrow had other priorities. Such as the very sweet lady who, from the brief description Yarrow had read, was most likely Princess Penelope of Wellin. From the looks of it the Princess probably didn’t have a manipulative bone in her body, granted if that was the case then the Summit was an unfortunate place for her to be. The only way to find out for certain would be to simply go over and talk to her, which is precisely what Yarrow did.  
  
Princess Penelope had a very pretty, genuine smile that was a little out of place in this sort of setting. Her straight, caramel hair had a few decorative small braids woven into it and her dress a trail so long that it made Yarrow wince at the thought of how often such a thing must get caught on various objects. The Princess was standing near a corner smiling at but failing to catch the interest of anyone around her. Upon stepping up it was impossible for Yarrow not to gift the Princess with a smile of her own in return, and as both woman curtsied Yarrow introduced herself.  
  
“Princess Penelope, I am Lady Yarrow of Jiyel.” She told her simply.  
“I am very pleased to meet you Lady Yarrow.” Princess Penelope beamed at her, “I’ve heard many things about Jiyel and I know our Kingdoms have our differences, but… I would very much like for us to become friends. If it’s alright with you of course. But I mean, I don’t mean to put you under any pressure… Oh no, I’m talking to much. Please accept my apologies.” She trailed off awkwardly, face flushing in embarrassment as she bowed her head.  
  
Well, Yarrow thought, that certainly made things easier. It was a relief that the Princess, intentionally or not, got to the point straight away.  
  
“I cannot think of any reason why I wouldn’t want to accept your friendship Princess Penelope.” Yarrow told her with a reassuring smile, “And you have not spoken too much. The reason we are here is to converse with each other, correct?” All of us except Duke Lyon, she thought to herself.  
  
The Princess was reassured by her words, offering a small “Thank you Lady Yarrow.” In return, though she still appeared to fear saying much more.  
  
Yarrow took this as her cue to hold up the conversation, “I know that being here so far has been quite different from what I am used to. You too are far from home, how are you finding your stay here?”  
“I do miss my family,” the Princess confessed, “But being here gives me the opportunity to meet so many new people. I hope to do my home and family proud.”  
“It seems to me that there is a high possibility you will do just that.” Yarrow told her honestly, a sweet and kind Princess? Eligible delegates would likely end up tripping over each other seeking Princess Penelope’s attention.  
“Thank you.” The Princess said again, before her expression shifted and she curtsied in farewell, “You should not spend all your time speaking to me Lady Yarrow, I’m sure other delegates would love to meet you as well.”  
Yarrow returned the gesture, nodding her head in agreement, “I will look forward to speaking with you at some later point, Princess Penelope.” she told her and the Princess smiled cheerfully in return.  
“I would very much like that.”  
  
Finding someone with such a friendly and uncomplicated nature was a pleasant surprise. It was almost relaxing speaking with someone as good-natured as Princess Penelope and not having to watch what was said as closely. During that conversation a couple of other delegates had also caught Yarrow’s attention. One she believed was Earl Emmett of Arland, and the other Princess Cordelia of Hise.  
  
Making her way towards the Earl first she found herself having to come to a sudden halt as, unbelievably, two of the delegates appeared to be _dancing_ through the dining hall. A red cape and green silk swished past without pause. One of the two was easily recognized as Prince Zarad of Corval, renowned flirt and ladies man. His dancing partner had a long crimson cape and platinum blond hair, but her identity was a mystery. They were certainly drawing quite a few stares with their antics.  
  
Turning away from the spectacle Yarrow continued moving towards the Arland Earl. She didn’t know much about the man himself aside from the fact that he had supposedly travelled extensively, but what caught her attention the most was simply his being from Arland. Jiyel and Arland were currently on quite rocky ground in terms of their relations, largely regarding their differing religions and social structures. Which meant an alliance or even marriage between the two could potentially pave the way to more understanding and mending relations.  
  
With that in mind Yarrow stepped up to the Earl and introduced herself with a curtsy, “Greetings Earl Emmett, I am Lady Yarrow of Jiyel.”  
He bowed in return giving her an enthusiastic grin, “I am very pleased to meet you Lady Yarrow!”  
His greeting was more lively than she’d expected, but she smiled back, “As am I to meet you, Earl Emmett.”

The Earl had a complexion that clearly showed he’d spent a lot of time travelling and outdoors, while his hair was an untamed nest of golden curls, of all the Arland delegates he certainly seemed the least carefully groomed.

Earl Emmett’s eyes

swept the room eagerly, taking in all the sights and sounds before he spoke again “I do feel sorry for all you ladies, having to put up with with all that primping such. There must be a lot of pressure to do it all, even if someone like me can’t even tell the difference.”  
Yarrow blinked, glancing over his face to be sure the Earl was being honest, then she relaxed a little at his words “I agree completely. All these things are utterly impractical, I would be much happier, not to mention more comfortable, wearing ordinary everyday clothes.” She managed to stop herself short of ranting about the dangling hair ornaments and overly long sleeves among other things, the Earl may seem nice and friendly but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear a tirade about womens dressing habits.  
“Exactly!” he exclaimed “And I have no doubt you would look just as pretty like that as you do now.”  
“And I’d also have a great deal more time on my hands.” She added.  
He laughed, “Yes, that too!”  
  
They fell into a companionable silence for a moment and Yarrow tried to recall what little she knew of the man from his description.  
  
“I hear you’ve done a lot of travelling” she began, genuinely interested in the topic, “Are there any travels that you could share with me? I’d love to hear about them.”  
“You would?” he asked, taken by surprise for a moment, then his face returned to the familiar pleased smile, “To think, my sister told me not to talk any ladies’ ears off about it, but since you’ve asked…”  
  
The rest of the conversation involved a fascinating account of a number of different places that the Earl had been to. His words gave her more insight into his personality, while also providing his own interesting view of the places he’d been. At the end of their talk he even insisted that she come to him if she ever had any problems. She didn’t think she ever would, but it was a very generous offer.  
  
Yarrow was feeling much more optimistic after that conversation, there were still many other delegates that she had yet to meet, but so far Earl Emmett seemed to be ranking highest on her list of possible marriage candidates. He was easy to get along with and from a country that her own would benefit greatly from mending ties with. He’d also already been to Jiyel and knew of its people and ways, so unlike the other Arland delegates it seemed he would be much less judgmental.  
  
The Hise delegates were her next destination, though fortunately the lady she wished to speak to seemed to be keeping herself slightly apart from her fellow countrymen. And  to be honest, they were being quite the rowdy bunch. It made Yarrow wonder if they were all like that or if it had something to do with how they were chosen to come here. And if so… How _did_ they choose their delegates? Tests, similar to those conducted in Jiyel perhaps?  
  
Despite those around her, Princess Cordelia had conducted herself with poise and grace in the time that she’d been there, both her dress and bearing setting her apart from her countrymen. She didn’t seem quite as open as Yarrow’s previous conversation partners, so it seemed the safest bet was to be equally as polite and cordial towards the Princess in return as she introduced herself.  
  
Both women curtsied, “Princess Cordelia. I am Lady Yarrow of Jiyel.”  
“Lady Yarrow, a pleasure to meet you.” The Princess greeted, tone, expression and manner perfectly formal and by the book.  
Yarrow nodded in acknowledgment “A pleasure to meet you too.”  
After just the right amount of time Princess Cordelia continued, “I trust your journey treated you well?” she asked with a pleasant but impersonal smile.  
  
Yarrow had a terrible sinking feeling. This was more or less exactly the way a number of the examples of conversations in her etiquette book had gone. Except unlike the book she couldn’t simply shove Princess Cordelia to the bottom of her reading pile.  
  
Internally grimacing, she tried to respond exactly as the book had advised, “It did, the weather was fair and our journey uneventful.” She lied through her teeth, “And yours?”  
“My journey was also an entirely pleasant affair. Thank you for asking” was the bland reply.  
  
After exchanging more pleasantries the conversation drifted through a number of topics that, while terribly uninteresting, did allow Yarrow to get a better idea of how much the Princess appreciated politeness and good manners. It seemed easiest to think of this as a test by an etiquette instructor, and with that in mind Yarrow made a mental note not to converse with the Princess unless she’d prepared beforehand as she would for any other test.  
  
Off to one side Yarrow could hear the boisterous discussions of the other Hise delegates. Among them she was able to identify their ‘Prince’ Hamin speaking with the same lady who she had seen dancing through the dining hall earlier. It seemed to be a rather animated conversation, certainly much moreso than her current one.  
  
A mind-numbing discussion about fashion and uneventful journeys later, and the Princess thankfully excused herself.  
  
Yarrow let out a quiet breath of relief, moving away from the Princess with quick steps. Being polite may seem like a simple enough way to get along with Princess Cordelia, and from her expressions it seemed she’d passed the test… But that didn’t stop it from being as draining and stressful as any other test Yarrow had taken.  
  
Hoping the next delegate would be considerably less formal, she wandered closer to the Revaire group, making sure she gave their royalty a wide berth. As it happened the delegate she’d decided to speak to also seemed to be setting himself apart from the rest of his group, so approaching him was a simple matter.  
  
He bowed as she approached and, surprisingly, already knew her name “Good evening, Lady Yarrow. I am Lord Clarmont, how are you finding the Summit thus far?”  
So far the man had a pleasant smile and manner, she curtsied, “A pleasure to meet you Lord Clarmont.”  
  
Answering such a question when she’d barely been able to get any idea of what Lord Clarmont was like would prove difficult. Still, perhaps going with honesty would be best. Vague honesty, Yarrow knew better than to spill all her secrets to a stranger, even if she didn’t think there was much she had worth hiding.  
  
“I am finding the experience… informative. Seeing all these people from different Kingdoms is quite eye-opening. I wish I could visit the castle under different circumstances in order to appreciate it fully.”  
  
Although Lord Clarmont smiled and listened attentively, there was still something that prevented her from relaxing in his company as he gave his response. Perhaps it was merely because he was from Revaire yet seemed so unlike the other Revaire delegates. Whatever it was, she put the feeling aside while listening to the man describe his experiences at the Summit in a surprisingly straightforward and seemingly honest way.  
  
As he mentioned his opinions, or rather his excess of them, it reminded Yarrow of something, “I was often told by my tutors in Jiyel that you can never have too many opinions, as long as you have sense and logic to back up every one of them.” She shared with him, and was pleased when he let out a small laugh at that.  
“Would that I’d had tutors such as yours growing up.” He lamented.  
“Oh no. It is better that you didn’t. Otherwise you’d be nose deep in books for the rest of your life.” She joked lightly.  
“You say this as though you have experienced such a thing?” Lord Clarmont asked, eyes full of mirth by now.  
“I have! Why when I last saw my father he was still trying to wade his way through them from one end of the study to the other. By now I suspect he’ll have given up and opted for the window instead.” Yarrow managed to tell him with a completely straight face before they both broke into grins and chuckles.  
  
A chime then indicated that dinner was ready to be served, so with quick farewells Yarrow sought out her seat at the long, elaborately set table.  
  
The food was exquisite, and dinner itself certainly wasn’t dull with the extremely flirtatious Prince of Corval to her right, whom she did her best to smile blandly at and ignore whenever he tried to turn his attention her way, and a Revaire lady who could talk non-stop about fashion without even needing to take a breath to her left. It all made her feel a bit homesick really. Not that she’d been particularly grateful for the silent meals back home, but at least it was easier to concentrate on actually eating.  
  
It wasn’t all bad however, as she’d noticed the ‘Prince’ of Hise who was sitting opposite and several seats down perform some slight of hand where he produced a coin from behind his ear and handed it to one of the servants with a word or two. She’d stared at the servant while they moved away to do whatever was requested. How had he done that? Was the coin hidden in his hair? Somewhere else? It gave her something to distract herself from her dinner companions for the rest of the meal.


	4. Trials and Temptations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem. There are a number of rewritten lines of game dialogue in this chapter.

 

_Journal Entry #4_  
  
 _Welcome feast was uneventful but a valuable source of information and opportunity to observe other delegates. Met some delegates prior, Earl Emmett of Arland the best possibility so far due to chances of success and potentially easing tensions with such a large neighboring country. Most Revaire delegates should be avoided. Likelihood of Lady Avalie of Jiyel causing unneeded complications is high. Further analysis pending, more information required._  
  
 _Next I am to meet with the Matchmaker._   
  


* * *

  
  
Yarrow waited patiently outside the door with her assigned butler, Onyx standing solemnly beside her. He was a tall man, with rich earthy skin and semi-long jet black hair, perfectly combed back and tied in a neat ponytail at the back of his neck. His eyes were deep, warm obsidian, he kept them fixed on some invisible point in the air as the two kept their silence.  
  
As far as butlers went Onyx was very professional, informative, and diligent about trying to make her brush up on the skills she was lacking. The expression he kept was usually carefully neutral, and she was sure his posture was always following some sort of rules about butler presentation to the letter. She had however discovered that he could be thrown a little off track if you put some effort into it. Such as this morning when he caught her halfway out her window trying to see where all the birds were going…  
  
Some of the other butlers she’d seen looked sterner, others looked grumpier. All in all she had few complaints. It was just a shame that he generally tried to discourage her from learning the things she actually wanted to know about. Yarrow thought it a little unfair when she considered the number of practical skills he was probably keeping from her.  
  
Surprisingly, Onyx had tried to warn her that the Matchmaker could be a little unforgiving at times. She privately thought the woman probably couldn’t be as unforgiving as some of the tests she’d had to complete in Jiyel. Nor the instructors supervising said tests. Some of those things were made to specifically find out what your breaking point was, she was sure of it.  
  
Without warning the door swung open and Yarrow started slightly in surprise, eyes darting to the entryway, her butler, then back to the now open door as a woman with short red hair stalked out without sparing either of them a glance and left. Her eyes followed the woman for a moment as a rather willowy dark haired man (another butler no doubt) joined her. Yarrow’s eyes slid back to the man at her side, her own butler.  
  
Onyx silently gestured for Yarrow to enter. With a quick breath she cleared her mind of any unnecessary thoughts and stepped inside.  
  
The Matchmaker’s face reminded her of granite.  
  
Not in the grey and stony sense (though a case could be argued for the latter), but because it appeared so hard and unyielding. Like staring at the head examiner when you’d just managed to achieve the lowest score in the class. It was a look that spelled failure before you’d even started. Yarrow tried to convince herself that such a look may not have the same meaning here, perhaps that was the woman's happy and welcoming face… Somehow she doubted it.  
  
The age of the woman was difficult to determine, though she had the fine silver hair of the isle natives pulled back harshly from her face and secured. Piercing green eyes looked like they could cut down any delegate in her path. It conjured the brief mental image of delegates instantly falling to the ground before the woman as if mortally wounded. Yarrow ruthlessly banished the thought and tried to focus on the task at hand instead.  
  
Backing her up the Matchmaker had several elderly male assistants, each alternating between watching with beady eyes or scribbling furiously. They all sat around a table like a pack of eager vultures with one seat placed opposite them. Upon the walls of the room skillfully painted wooden panels hung, perhaps serving as a nice distraction from whatever took place within.  
  
Recalling both the dreaded etiquette book and what she had been taught on the subject during her schooling, Yarrow politely curtsied to the woman in just the way she recalled the books describing and delivered her greeting.  
  
“Esteemed Lady Matchmaker, good evening. I am Lady Yarrow of Jiyel and I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” Her tone was carefully devoid of any variation or emotion.  
  
The older woman’s expression didn’t move an inch as she merely nodded and began scanning over every aspect of Yarrow’s appearance with a critical eye. It felt a little like she was a lamb waiting to be sent off to slaughter.  
  
There was a scoff, “I don’t see anything particularly pleasant about you, girl.” The Matchmaker commented sharply with clear disapproval, “Your face makes it look like you’re trying to perform a complex equation, while your curtsy and movement is like a puppet on strings. You know what is required, but lack any finesse, grace to make your performance even remotely  pleasing to the eye.”   
  
Yarrow deliberately kept her face as calm as possible, nodding silently to acknowledge she’d heard and filing away the Matchmaker's words to be examined at some later point when she wasn’t still being closely scrutinized.  
  
The older woman waved Onyx out of the room and he left on quiet feet without comment. Once the door had closed behind him the Matchmaker gestured to a seat at the table opposite her. After Yarrow had seated herself the elderly woman began, “Tell me my dear, do you have your head in the clouds with notions of happily ever after and true love?”  
  
It was difficult to tell whether she should be trying to choose the _right_ answer in this situation or the honest one. If the woman was really so adept at making matches however honesty would probably prove the most beneficial. That and there was just something about the woman’s face that gave Yarrow the feeling she’d spot any lie a mile away.  
  
“I am here to form a political alliance if possible. If I come across love in the process then I will not turn it aside.” She stated simply.  
The Matchmaker’s face pulled down in displeasure “So you’re too afraid to take a proper stance.” She quipped and there was some speedy scribbling from one of her associates.  
  
Yarrow objected but remained silent and barely managed to keep a frown from her own face in response. She knew all too well that these sorts of people never liked being questioned, even if she was certain that her own motivations were driven by the instructions given to her by her Kingdom, not fear. It was odd, any of her tutors would have been pleased at a student choosing the more logical answer, even if she had still left the possibility of love open.  
  
“Hurry up then, serve me the tea.” The Matchmaker demanded next and Yarrow obediently moved to prepare it, noting and declining to use a certain extra herb present in the selection of teas. Ground Benvalant root, used to induce a kinder temperament in those who imbibed it. Known to have unpleasant side effects the following day. She knew a planted temptation and test when she saw one, especially something so blatant. It was actually a little insulting that they even thought she would be stupid enough to use such a thing when it was almost certainly a setup.  
  
The Matchmaker’s brow raised, clearly taking note of but not the least bit impressed by Yarrow’s decision. Privately Yarrow thought that maybe the woman could do with a few extra stomach cramps to make up for the headaches she surely gave most delegates.  
  
“How very ethical, but ethics won’t save you from others taking advantage of such things, leaving you disadvantaged or even dead.” She commented bluntly as Yarrow carefully poured the tea “In any case, I have developed an immunity to that particular drug” the Matchmaker finished with an unpleasant smile stretching her face as Yarrow set the teapot down.  
  
One of the furiously scribbling men at the table abruptly lurched to his feet, causing a number of items to go tumbling at the sudden jolt. Including the teapot. Startled, Yarrow leapt back away from it, her chair falling down with a loud clatter as tea now dripped over the edge of the table.  
  
Several pairs of eyes watched, assessed, scribbled. Yarrow considered taking those furiously scribbling quills and throwing them out the window, even if it would be a waste of fine writing implements.  
  
The same man who had caused the spill then came forward with a cloth to mop it up with before setting Yarrows chair upright once more while she eyed him suspiciously for more sudden movements. The instant availability of something to clean the spilled tea left Yarrow with no doubt. It had been done on purpose.  
  
Every single thing that happened in this room was probably pre-planned and a test.  
  
Stiffly, Yarrow regained her seat and regarded the Matchmaker once more.  
  
The other woman met her gaze directly “Thus far you have left me with very little hope,” she told her curtly “let us see if by some miracle you can manage to surprise me. We will see how you converse.”  
  
Taking that as her cue, Yarrow breathed deeply and began began discussing a range of things from academic theory to politics and history. With each one she spoke of what she thought may be the most relevant to speak of here at the Summit, yet the Matchmaker had nothing kind to say about any of it. Each subject she managed to pick apart and find fault with. She knew it. Tests were the bane of her existence, this was becoming exhausting.  
  
In the end the old woman shook her head, “You sound like the recitation of an extremely droll textbook when speaking of those subjects. I am surprised at Jiyel sending me such a singularly unimpressive delegate, how _did_ you end up here?”  
  
Yarrow didn’t flinch, the test was not over yet, she met the older woman’s gaze “My cousin who was to be one of our delegates married unexpectedly. At such short notice I, being a scholarly lady related to her was chosen to go in her place. I have not taken the tests and my abilities do not reflect the standards my countrymen would normally use for determining delegates.” She recited as she’d been told.  
  
Okay, so maybe she’d fibbed a little about taking the tests… But it had been agreed before she left that mentioning her failed previous attempt would do no good. And, technically, she hadn’t taken the most current version of the test, so…  
  
“Well now, that certainly explains your utter lack of redeeming qualities. Did you even prepare for the Summit?” the other woman cut in.  
“I did, once I learned that I was taking my cousin’s place. However there wasn’t a lot of time left for much preparation.” Yarrow explained.  
“The problem lies not in the amount of time, but in how you use said time. You, obviously did nothing of value with the time you had. And your over reliance on preparation shows that you lack the ability to think flexibly and adapt.” The Matchmaker scolded her, before once again shaking her head in disappointment.  
  
“You may think of yourself as intelligent my dear, but that means nothing when you could simply bore a man to tears every time you even open your mouth. I assure you that brilliant and thoroughly unentertaining brides are _not_ in high demand. Adding to that your insight will likely only lead you straight into trouble, and your logical nature makes you appear cold and aloof. Then there’s the obviously mixed nationality somewhere in your family line which has resulted in such an unfortunate combination of features in you. It would be a waste of my time to even attempt matching or recommending you to anyone.” She finished her assessment before adding, “You may leave.”  
  
Bidding the Matchmaker farewell with brittle politeness as was expecting and continuing to follow all the rules, Yarrow stepped through the now open doors to find Onyx standing by waiting.  
  
Without a word spoken they turned and walked together back to her room.  
  
During the short walk back Yarrow found her mind curiously blank. She had just been thoroughly criticized with such a large range of flaws mercilessly uncovered. Right now would be the best time to begin listing and analyzing each and every one of those flaws in order to develop a plan of action for improving upon them. But…  
  
Yarrow really just wanted to go off into the castle on her own and wander. Find out new things. Explore.  
  
Find some room to breathe.  
  
She hadn’t wanted to be here, and even if her possibilities with the other delegates had looked promising, with the Matchmaker having such an abysmal assessment of her it seemed likely she would be sent home. So what she really wanted to do… was find something to enjoy about this place before she had to leave.


	5. Recipe for Disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem.

 

_Journal Entry #5_   
  
_Meeting with the matchmaker went poorly. Chances of being sent home after the second meeting in my third week seem high._   
_Faults mentioned are as follows:_   
_-Lack of correct facial expression when recalling etiquette details._   
_-Lack of finesse or grace._   
_-Too ethical._   
_-Too boring when speaking on various academic subjects._   
_-Unable to prepare properly within a time limit._   
_-Inflexible  and lacking ability to adapt._   
_-Too logical._   
_-Unpleasant appearance._   
  
_My butler Onyx has assured me that he can tutor me. He believes that we may be able to make enough progress for a better performance during the second meeting. I remain skeptical._   
  


* * *

  
  
Yarrow woke before dawn, or it might be more accurate to say she _got up_ before dawn, as sleep had eluded her during the night.  
  
With quick movements she quietly dressed and made herself presentable, then hastily scribbled down a note on a sheet of parchment for her butler Onyx to find. Placing the note in the middle of the desk she weighed it down with an ink well and stepped back. She may be about to shirk her duties, but that didn’t mean she would leave her butler needlessly worrying about her.  
  
There was nothing else she would require, so with a nod of satisfaction Yarrow turned and slipped out the door into the pre-dawn gloom beyond.  
  
A sense of excitement was fluttering through her as she glanced down the hallway lined with similar guest doors stretching in both directions. Everything here was unknown, there was just _so much_ to discover. And half of the guests wold be attending their own meetings with the Matchmaker today, so this was essentially a free day for Yarrow. It was one that she intended to make full use of. For herself.  
  
Setting off at a brisk pace Yarrow left the Guest Hall behind and continued on until she came to a pair of large ornate doors. A simple application of force didn’t produce any results, so she set her shoulder against one of the two doors and put all her effort into shoving the thing open. It slid across the floor begrudgingly, and she only bothered to open it enough for one person. There was simply no point in opening it further. Creeping through the gap she’d made Yarrow let her gaze sweep across the ballroom in wonder. Large windows stretched from floor to ceiling on either side, the floor had been polished to an immaculate finish, and even the pillars decorating the room had intricately detailed scrolls of carved stone at each end.  
  
Up close the detail at the base of each pillar appeared to be a depiction of Katiya’s story told piece by piece. Investigating each pillar revealed the whole story, but then she wondered what story the highest points of the pillars held. Although she looked around there was nothing in the room that could be used to help her get higher to see. The only things she could climb were the windows, but they weren’t situated near any pillars (besides, Onyx would likely have a fit if he caught her). A little disappointed, Yarrow moved her inspection to the area of the room neatly laid out for musicians to play. There were some stands there that she thought might be used for specific instruments, if she returned later it would be easier to see what went where. Everything was kept so pristine, she couldn’t even guess at how many hours of work went into maintaining such a room let alone the whole complex.  
  
Exiting through a much smaller and more easily opened door at the back of the grand room revealed another hallway. Opposite, she saw a strikingly simple doorway, wooden but sturdy. Poking her head around to peer inside she found a sparring ring dominating the center of the room, the ground within the ring was made of sand, presumably to provide some cushioning. A number of seats littered the edges near the walls but it was otherwise quite empty, devoid of even the fancy decorative stonework found throughout the rest of the castle.  
  
Letting her feet take her further down the hall Yarrow found another door which led to a very large library. Peeking in she stared at the towering shelves of books in silence for a moment before backing out and turning to another doorway. Such a large library was bound to have many, many things of interest within, but she could visit it again at any other time during her stay.  
  
A servant bustled past her with a small cart of cleaning supplies and her stomach told her it was probably past breakfast now (it was after all a stomach with an infallible sense of time regarding meals. Yarrow was sure that she could be locked in a cave for a week with no light and still know when every meal was supposed to be due to her stomach). But there was still so much more to discover! Food could wait.  
  
Opening the door to the room the servant had rushed out of revealed a very well kept music room. But she wasn’t alone. At the other end of the room another servant was going along returning each instrument to its rightful place after the cleaning that his colleague had performed. Yarrow hesitated, but if people were out and about now then surely she was allowed to be here.  
  
A few cautious steps took her to the edge of one of the tables full of instruments and she marveled at the finely crafted tools of a musicians trade. Distantly, she heard the servant greet her politely as she made her way along and Yarrow absently sent him the expected greeting in return.  
  
They resumed their duties in silence after that, him putting each instrument respectfully back in its case while she scanned over them all mentally comparing some of the more obscure items to pictures she’d only ever seen in books.   
  
Once she reached the end of the selection Yarrow excused herself and slipped out a door into yet another hallway. This one, however, she recognized. It was the same one that the Guest Hall led to, and that she had entered the Ballroom from… Which left the other end of the hallway unexplored.  
  
Determined, she trotted down past the other doorways. There were the sounds of footsteps and conversations permeating the air now as people began going about their daily business. It seemed her time for solitary investigation was drawing to a close. Still, that didn’t mean her plans were completely foiled.  
  
Tilting her head up, nose in the air Yarrow caught the smell of freshly cooked food drifting to her on a stray breeze. She quickened her steps. Now the kitchens, they were a good place to be when it was busy.  
  
Ignoring a door to her left she followed her nose to the set of swinging doors… and nearly got bowled over by a servant racing through said doors with a heavily laden meal cart. The woman was in such a rush that she hadn’t even noticed Yarrow now flattened against a wall as she avoided a potentially unpleasant collision with breakfast. She was admittedly hungry, but she’d rather have her meal in her stomach than decorating her person.  
  
After the servant had vanished around a corner Yarrow turned back towards the doors. Carefully, she nudged one open the tiniest bit so she could peer at the hive of activity within. It was wonderful. So many people doing so many different things. At home they’d only ever had one cook, and the older man had always steadfastly refused to teach her anything of his trade. She rather suspected this was at least partially due to her parents telling him not to.  
  
But here! There were all these things going on at once. Eyes wide with delight Yarrow stepped within, drifting as if in a daze over to one of the many tables and politely inquiring just how the servant knew exactly how much spice to put in that meal or how long to beat the eggs for.  
  
That was when a shadow fell over her.  
  
“Out!” the head cook scolded her, practically chasing her out with a broom despite Yarrow’s protests and attempts to explain that she only wanted to watch and learn.   
  
With a pout she stared at the closed doors. It appeared observing the staff at work would be harder than she had anticipated.  
  
She would accept defeat… for now. Just so that she could give herself time to form a new, better plan of attack.  
  
In order to occupy herself while she formed said New and Improved Plan of Kitchen Learning, Yarrow opened another door. One that didn’t lead straight back into the kitchen and the dragon-like head cook.  
  
This one had a short corridor that ended in… a small and well kept garden surrounding a lakeside gazebo.   
  
Eyes once more alight at this new discovery, Yarrow poked about every inch of the place until she was quite sure that it would make the perfect spot for reading and studying. She’d even dipped her toes in the lake, it was chilly but refreshing. Making a mental note of the gazebos location she returned to the formidable Kitchen Doors.  
  
It didn’t sound quite as busy now, so if she was quick enough and found a place to stay out of the way and unnoticed she might survive longer this time.  
  
One breath, two, she dove through the doors, daring to defy the Matchmaker’s poor assessment of her grace by slipping neatly through the small gap and letting the door swing quietly shut behind her. Now inside, she affixed herself to the wall and sidled up to a a shelf, eyes glued to the much more relaxed servants working busily at their tasks. A number were simply chopping vegetables, but some were working on more complex culinary creations, such as a woman to her far left. Whatever she was doing looked very interesting. Yarrow needed a closer look.  
  
Moving as though in slow-motion she edged her way around the shelf, keeping her annoying sleeves of Catching Everything Imaginable held close to her and away from any tempting pot handles. Ah yes, she could see what the lady was making now, she was rolling out some sort of pasta and dividing it up into long strips.  
  
Satisfied, she took a step back.  
  
A door opened behind her.  
  
All Yarrow had time to do was whip around to face the oncoming disaster before everything went white. Not blinding white. _Dusty_ white.  
  
She coughed and spluttered, trying to wave the air in front of her clear of the white cloud that had burst out of the flour sack at her feet. The servant in front of her was doing the same, and that’s when Yarrow realized that something like this would surely draw the attention of the Head-Cook-Dragon. She could almost hear the heavy footsteps coming this way already.  
  
Darting to the side Yarrow threw herself through the doors and out of the kitchen while everyone else was distracted trying to clean up the mess. She did feel a little guilty about that. Ordinarily she would have been happy to help clean up… But the prospect of coming face to face with Head-Cook-Dragon again was simply too much of a deterrent.  
  
It was then that Yarrow realized she’d exited through a different set of doors, so this was another section of the castle she had yet to explore.  
  
Pausing around a corner after she was sure that no Dragon-Cooks were in hot pursuit, Yarrow aggressively shook and beat her clothing free of as much flour as she could. Then wiped more of it off her face.   
  
The maids would not be pleased, She was sure of that as she tried to shake the flour out of her dress for the umpteenth time. If she could just find a brush or laundry then she might be able to minimize the damage before anyone else knew. Yarrow could already see the disappointed look Onyx would give her when he found out.  
  
Distractedly, she shook at her sleeves again, which is why she was so startled when something colourful suddenly came hurtling around the corner in front of her.  
  
Yarrow let out a yelp of surprise and leaped back. She didn’t need another collision! The man, who had stopped just short of bowling her over looked equally surprised.   
  
He recovered first, falling into a more relaxed stance and glancing over her quickly, "You're one of the Jiyel delegates." he stated, green eyes gleaming as if he'd just come across a new toy. This much was obvious from her clothing alone.  
  
He of course was easily recognizable, a Prince of pirates. Hamin was his name if she recalled correctly, she remembered catching a glimpse of him in the thick of the Hise delegates before the opening feast. His prince status immediately put the possibility of him being considered a match for her remarkably low. Not to mention the reputations of both the man himself and his country. In short, he was trouble. Trouble that she would be wise to stay away from (even moreso considering the trouble she was already in), especially when there were many other ways to be spending her limited time. Like exploring the rest of the castle.  
  
He had semi-long sunkissed brown hair, tied up rather messily with numerous braids littered throughout it. She wondered if it was intentional or he’d just grown tired of the braiding and so not bothered to do the whole lot. And then there were the various baubles, earrings and other assorted bits of jewelery gleaming at her from his person. His clothing was also rather unorthodox, an open vest that left his chest bare for all to see and colourful garments that would certainly make the man difficult to forget.   
  
“I am.” She told him, and not a word more.  
  
 Hamin's face scrunched up as he tried to recall her name. It likely didn't help that she would have been added late to any lists of the other delegates.  
  
Yarrow supposed that this was probably where you were supposed to graciously intercede and tell the poor man the answer. She didn't. Instead she stared at him, curious to see if he'd actually be able to dredge up the name he was looking for. The facial expressions he was making were entertaining too.  
  
The pirate’s face soon crumpled in defeat, "Ah, come on Dusty there are a lot of names here. Help me out?" he pleaded with an apologetic but mischievous smile that might have been genuine.  
  
Her eyebrows rose at the new nickname as she considered his request. Logically, she should just give him her name and politely leave. But that nickname sparkled something, it was petty and illogical.  
  
"No." she stated simply and nose in the air as she’d seen many ladies at the Summit do, she brushed past him. No doubt leaving flour on him too in her wake.  
  
There was some satisfaction in leaving the somewhat charming pirate staring at her back. Granted, she just about leapt out of her skin when his voice was suddenly right beside her.  
  
"At least tell me how you got covered in..." he swiped a finger across the shoulder of her dress and Yarrow stared, scandalized as he stuck it in his mouth. "Flour?" he finished, glancing at her for confirmation.  
  
Using taste to identify unknown substances seemed like a fascinating, if risky thing to do. The curiosity in her burned, but instead she sniffed primly, "I will not." She told him.  
  
The trouble she’d already caused was bad enough, she certainly didn’t need it getting spread around the castle. Pirates didn’t seem like they’d be the best at keeping secrets unless it involved treasure.  
  
As Yarrow continued to walk down the hall with her head held high despite her floury appearance she heard the man heave an exaggerated sigh behind her, “Ah, you’re no fun.” He complained, followed by the sound of his footsteps retreating in the opposite direction.  
  
For some reason she felt a pang of disappointment. Which didn’t make sense. Because she had been deliberately trying to deter the man, why should she be disappointed?


	6. Hidden Talents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem.

 

_Journal Entry #6_   
  
_Spent the first half of the day mapping out the Castle grounds. Places covered include: The Ballroom, Practice room, Music room and a small lakeside gazebo. Grand Library also located for future use, was unable to complete an inspection of the kitchens. Gazebo looks to be a suitable place of study._   
  
_Onyx was displeased upon my return at noon. Insisted that the remainder of the day be spent tutoring. Have negotiated with him for some reading time in my schedule._   
  


* * *

  
  
Yarrow set her books down on the seat beside her and took a deep breath as she admired the small gazebo and its lakeside view. Lush greenery with all manner of different and unusual flowers bordered the small hideaway while the lake sparkled tantalizingly under the sun. Their gardeners must be very meticulous sorts as not a weed was in sight, even the grass was neatly trimmed around the paving stones surrounding her. A gentle breeze only added to the serene and gentle atmosphere, a light canopy of leaves overhead creating soft dappled light within the gazebo itself. Even the seat underneath her had been sanded so smooth that it almost felt like fine silk under her hand.  
  
Once she felt properly relaxed, Yarrow picked up the top book on the pile and started to read.   
  
The subject matter wasn’t particularly engrossing, but if it could help in some way (and Onyx has been adamant that it would) then it might be worth studying. It was a pleasant place to sit, she even slipped her shoes off so she could simply let herself get lost in the words on the page. Eyes scanning over the small ink letters, trying to commit them to memory before flipping over another thin piece of parchment.  
  
It had been several hours by the time she heard voices talking nearby. Her head shot up, feet stopped swinging. It only took a moment to decide that she’d rather not wait for potentially unpleasant company. Hastily Yarrow slipped her shoes back on, internally cursing as she accidentally knocked her stack of books over. By some miracle they didn’t make much noise so she was able to gather the various volumes up and make her escape before whoever it was even knew she was there.  
  
Her reading time disrupted, Yarrow reluctantly traced her way back down the corridors towards her room. After cautiously opening the door she found no butler or maids lurking within. Grateful, she placed her burden of books upon the desk and sank down into the chair facing it. Her thoughts meandered now that she wasn’t trying to memorize all the different ways to speak eloquently.  
  
She hadn’t been sitting longer than ten minutes when the door creaked open and Onyx bowed to her before stepping inside.  
  
Yarrow nodded in greeting to him, turning away from the desk to face her butler.  
  
“I believe you have been invited to dine with Lord Clamont this evening.” He stated. It wasn’t a question, because Onyx had delivered the invitation to her himself.  
Yarrow hummed in agreement, it was true. “But that isn’t for another hour or so yet, I still have plenty of time.” She explained, reaching for one of the books on her desk.  
Onyx cleared his throat, “As it is a dinner you may be expected to dress more formally.” He told her.  
Yarrow stilled, “You mean…”  
There was a slight crinkle at the corner of his eyes as he held back a smile, “Yes.”  
She groaned, drooping at the thought, “Do I have to?”  
He nodded, opening the door again to fetch the maids.  
“Can we at least leave the hair things out?” she pleaded.  
  
Onyx paused for a moment, dark eyes thoughtful as she held her breath waiting. Then, at last, “I will inform the maids that they may forego the use of any of the longer, chiming hair ornaments.” He conceded and Yarrow was quietly thankful to have such an intuitive butler.  
  
The two maids entered shortly after and Yarrow let them expertly poke and prod her into one of the more formal gowns instead of the simple (but still entirely appropriate, Yarrow thought) one she had been wearing. This was one of the items of clothing that were not her own. It was a deep emerald green with pale apple sleeves and trim, finished off with white embroidered patterns. True to what Onyx had said, the maids only put a couple of the shorter, less ornate hair sticks in her hair.  
  
By the time they had finished with her, it really was almost time for the dinner with Lord Clarmont.  
  
Yarrow huffed silently to herself even as she thanked the maids for their hard work, she could have been studying all this time!  
  
Still, Lord Clarmont had seemed like a nice enough man from her first meeting with him. Hopefully this evening she would have the chance to learn more of him. Of course she wasn’t exactly used to one-on-one social meetings with people that she hadn’t known most of her life…  
  
Onyx stepped up as the maids departed and Yarrow gave him a nervous smile as she joined him in the doorway.  
“You will be fine.” He assured her, with a gentle smile of his own which somehow did help her feel a little better.  
“Thank you.” She said before turning and setting off.  
  
The directions Onyx had told her prior weren’t too difficult to remember or follow, especially as she’d already been to a few different places on her own. A number of various corridors and doorways passed by, and she’d just walked through a large archway when something large crashed into her from the side.  
  
It was soft, and there was a muffled noise from the other woman though they both managed to keep their feet. However the same couldn’t be said for the servant girl’s cargo of linen which had toppled to the floor in the process.  
  
This was like the previous days kitchen incident all over again, though fortunately laundry didn’t make as much of a mess as flour. Seeing as there wasn’t any angry shouting going on - in fact the servant girl was apologizing profusely while trying to gather up the scattered fabric - Yarrow too bent down to help retrieve all the wayward items.  
  
That was when her hand touched upon something that clearly _wasn’t_ some sort of laundry. The girl was still distracted picking up some of the more far-flung linen, and while Yarrow didn’t intend to read the letter enough was already out of its envelope that her eyes had automatically scanned over the contents.  
  
She froze. Warning bells going off in her head like a mad cacophony of dangling hair ornaments.  
  
It was a rather explicit love letter from one of the delegates to this very servant girl. And it was here. In front of her. The servant girl didn’t even appear to be searching for it, still gathering the other pieces of fallen linen. In fact she hadn’t even noticed that Yarrow had suddenly ceased her own efforts.  
  
There was a feeling in her stomach, it twisted uncomfortably as she clenched her fists. And she _knew_. Just like the Benvalant root placed among the Matchmaker’s teas, all her instincts told her that this was another test. The longer she simply stared at the letter the more she became aware of the small, furtive glances that the servant girl was giving her every so often.  
  
There was very little doubt in her mind, that had been done on _purpose_.  
  
Coming to a decision she stood abruptly, unable to stomach the thought that someone was trying to manipulate her into a situation to test her worth. And not the Matchmaker, one of her fellow delegates. She could easily guess who.  
  
Yarrow’s expression was stern, mouth set in a thin line as she quickly murmured an apology to the maid and turned on her heel, returning the way she came. Back through the archway she went and past every door and corridor again.  
  
Once she’d reached her room Yarrow swiftly pulled all the pins from her hair, carelessly tossing them upon the desk and getting out of the cumbersome dress as soon as she could. After she had finally put one of her more comfortable everyday dresses on and let herself sink down to the floor, there was a light knock at the door.  
  
It was obvious who it was, though how he knew she’d returned early was a mystery.  
  
With no response forthcoming, Onyx opened the door with care, entering and shutting it behind him.  
  
He looked at her in silence for a moment, then pulled the desk chair over and gestured for her to sit in it. She shook her head, so with a shrug he sat on the chair instead, facing her and waiting.  
  
It took a little while for Yarrow to gather up her thoughts. She was angry, and…. She didn’t know what else. Why couldn’t people be simple more often?  
  
“I…” she began hesitantly, then bit out as a frown marred her brow “I don’t like being _tested_.”  
Her eyes raised to  meet with her butlers, “It was set up, to… I don’t know. Test _something_ about me.” She explained, “As if I’m some sort of _thing_ being weighed and measured for my worth.” Her breath huffed out in frustration. “Why can’t people just ask? Surely it would be easier.”  
Onyx’s gaze had softened in understanding, “Not everyone is honest.”  
“I know but… I still don’t like it.” She finished with a sigh, letting her head fall back against the edge of the bed “It’s manipulative.”  
Her butler held his silence for a moment, before softly inquiring, “Would you like me to let Lord Clarmont know that you were unfortunately unable to attend his dinner?”  
“Yes, please.” It may be one less person she could potentially form an alliance or ties with, but she would really prefer to leave the manipulators for others to deal with. Someone like Avalie for example, she’d probably have a great time.  
He nodded and stood, “I will return with some dinner for you from the kitchens.”   
  
After Onyx had left the room Yarrow felt her shoulders slump. Pulling one of her books over she absently flicked through the pages, mind elsewhere and not really seeing the text.  
  
There was that polite knock again and Yarrow sat up, her face brightening a little as Onyx bought a tray of steaming food into the room. He insisted that she eat at the small table and she insisted he sit with her even if he wasn’t going to eat anything. Their conversation was light and calming, she was glad that although he could have pushed the issue as he had with other things like her tutoring, he didn’t with this.  
  
Meal finished, Onyx neatly stacked the used dishes upon the tray and only reminded Yarrow to read up on some of the subjects that she didn’t like before he left.  
  
Perhaps tests wouldn’t be so bad, Yarrow thought, if she didn’t know that she was always going to perform so abysmally in them.  
  
Her fingers skimmed absently over the books on her desk as she tried to decide what to read next.  
  
Then she noticed something. Or more specifically, the _lack_ of something.  
  
Shuffling through the stack of books again revealed nothing. Searching the books Onyx had given her yielded the same result. Nothing.  
  
Yarrow fretted.   
  
She’d looked in every single place she could think of in her room, practically turned the place upside down searching. But the journal she’d been writing in since her cousin had married was nowhere to be found. Not under the bed, behind the desk, in the closet or any of the drawers.  
  
Which left only one possibility: She’d dropped it somewhere while traipsing around earlier.  
  
It would have been a frightening thought, but she didn’t think there was anything damning written within it. The reason she was here was already common knowledge among the Jiyel delegates. It wasn’t something she wouldn’t tell someone honestly if they asked. But it irked her, to have misplaced one of her possessions like this.  
  
Closing the door quietly behind her as she left Yarrow began retracing her steps from the last time she remembered possessing the journal. It wasn’t an item that she would typically take out of her room, but as she kept it within her stack of books from Jiyel she must have inadvertently taken it with her when going to read earlier. That was the explanation which made the most sense. It was that or someone had deliberately taken it, which considering its lackluster content seemed rather ridiculous.  
  
As it was after dinner there weren’t many other delegates about. Yarrow assumed that most would be engaging in more sedate activities such as reading before it was time to settle down for the night. The servants though were still bustling about cleaning things up, she’d remembered taking a look in the kitchen before making her way to the gazebo, but a quick inquiry to a busy servant girl revealed that no book had been found near the kitchens today.  
  
The sky was getting dark outside, and a little chilly as she stepped out onto the path and wound her way along it to the gazebo. There were no signs of the journal around the path anywhere so far.  
  
It took her a moment to realize that the small lamp at the gazebo was lit and someone else was there, their back to her. Yarrow froze, but there was no other sound, no conversation. So it appeared that she wasn’t interrupting more than one person at least. Still, just to be safe she stayed back in the gloom.  
  
“Excuse me?” she asked tentatively, watching as the man, for judging by the width of his shoulders silhouetted against the light he was that, turned his head slightly to one side indicating he’d heard her “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I was wondering if you had come across a thin leather-bound book by any chance? I seem to have misplaced it…”  
  
He was silent a moment, though she caught a glimpse of one finger tapping on his knee thoughtfully as he considered her question.  
  
“Oh? Do you mean one that looks like… this?” he finally replied, casually holding up her journal with two fingers for her to see.  
  
Yarrow made to take a step forward, but stopped herself and remained where she was instead, she’d heard his voice before… “Yes! That’s it exactly!  May I please have it back?”  
  
He let the book drop so he was grasping it properly in his hand in one smooth motion and was on his feet within moments, hopping over the seating area and moving towards her. He stopped still within the halo of light, book held out and keen green eyes piercing the gloom that shrouded her.  
  
“I don’t see why not, but you’ll have to come _here_ to get it.” He quipped with an amused quirk of his lips.  
“ _You_!” was all she could say, the jolt of recognition now fully confirmed.  
  
For there in front of her once more stood the pirate ‘Prince’, golden trinkets shining in the low light and posture full of confidence.   
  
Hamin seemed a little taken aback by her response, eyebrows rising as he opened his mouth to speak, “What did I-” but she beat him to it.  
  
Yarrow marched straight into the light and clasped the book. He didn’t let go. She tugged at it and glanced up in time to see the surprise on his face melt into a knowing smirk.  
“Yarrow.” Was all he said, and her own eyes widened slightly in alarm, locking with his.  
“You read it!” she exclaimed, horrified.  
He scoffed, giving her an incredulous look. “Of course I read it, wasn’t much in it though. Fancy it being _yours_ …”  
A fierce frown took over her face as she pulled the book towards her and began trying to pry each of his fingers off individually, “So you’ve read it and you know my name. Can I have it back now?” she snapped.  
Unfortunately as fast as she got fingers off more came back down, and it all just seemed to increase his amusement at the situation.  
  
Just as she had grasped another of his fingers and was seriously considering bending the annoying thing back in a painful manner his face was suddenly close to hers, breath floating over her ear, “How about this, Dusty. I give you your book back, if you can find a way to entertain me.” He finished, leaning back with a wide grin and somehow managing to slip the book from her grasp while she stared at him.  
  
“How about it?” he asked, lifting her hands still wound around his own up as though he would kiss them.  
In an instant Yarrow had snatched her hands back away from him and was holding them clasped to her as though she were afraid he would somehow steal them too.  
  
Hamin merely continued to grin at her, waiting expectantly as she stared at him, mind churning as she considered his offer.  
  
There was the obvious of course, doing something ridiculous and embarrassing and hoping that he found entertainment in it. But that wouldn’t be satisfying. She wanted… to do something that would take him by surprise. Wipe that grin off his face.  
  
In the end, it was the glittering gold baubles that sparked the idea. Before she could think twice about it Yarrow launched into a very complex description of some academic theories. Using her hands to gesture and illustrate her point she pretended that she was speaking in one of the many debates they’d had to take part in back in Jiyel.   
  
She watched keenly as first Hamin blinked, clearly not expecting such a sudden verbose outburst from her. Then as time began to drag on his expression started to drop, interest quickly waning as boredom set in. At last, he put her lengthy speech to a stop.  
  
“Dusty” he sighed, exasperated, “You’ve lost me.” And he even looked a little weary from trying to listen to all of that.  
  
It was her turn to give him a smug look then as she tilted her head to one side, eying him curiously “Really? Because I thought I’d _found_ something.” She told him simply, presenting one of her hands palm up to reveal an engraved gold-plated compass upon it.  
  
The shock that passed over his face was worth it, then he laughed in delight, quickly snatching the compass back.  
  
“Colour me impressed, Dusty. Wouldn’t have even suspected you could do such a thing. Here you go, as promised.” He proclaimed, presenting the journal to her with a flourish and a cheeky wink.  
  
She accepted the book gracefully, unable to stop the corners of her mouth lifting up in a smile of her own. “Maybe you’ll think twice before reading unknown journals next time you come across one.”  
  
“Oh no, if I find any more with _your_ name on them I’ll be sure to read!” he declared, unrepentant.   
  
Yarrow huffed and, journal finally retrieved turned to pick her way back to the Castle.  
  
“If you keep being this interesting, Dusty, then I’m afraid I might have to kidnap and make a pirate out of you once this is all through and done.” He told her in a light and jovial tone.  
  
She shook her head as she neared the outer door, “You’d have to catch me first.” Were the words she left him with.


	7. Cultivating Connections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem.

 

_Journal Entry #7_  
  
_Due to an unforeseen development relations with Lord Clarmont of Revaire have been suspended. Onyx has also proved to be extremely adept at smoothing things over. Shortly after the canceled dinner with Lord Clarmont I discovered that this journal had been misplaced. Backtracking led to an encounter with a delegate who had come across the journal and was willing to return it after a short discussion._  


* * *

  
  
Today she would be meeting again with Earl Emmett. This was important because he seemed to be her most promising marriage prospect so far. However… as much as the general rules about impressing a potential match in books mentioned the importance of looking your best, Yarrow was sure that she knew better in this instance. Earl Emmett himself had said that he didn’t understand or appreciate all the effort women put into improving their appearance, therefore dressing in her best would possibly create a negative impression.  
  
No, she was going to go with what seemed the most logical, and, happily, comfortable. Her everyday Summit clothes would likely do, with maybe a few subtle touches here and there to improve her appearance in ways that wouldn’t be obvious. As tiresome as it was, she couldn’t afford to ignore the Matchmaker’s words on this issue. Once the maids had finished helping her with what she wanted to achieve, Yarrow was off.  
  
The gardens where Emmett would be meeting her were very well maintained with a large range of plants, including some varieties that she had never even seen before. It seemed such a shame that all the effort put into everything here was for an event that only happened once every seven years. She was sure that this was one of those things like dancing which she would never understand.  
  
Now however, she had spotted the bright and earnest Earl waving at her enthusiastically from across a perfectly manicured lawn. He practically glowed in the morning light.  
  
Smiling, Yarrow returned his wave and picked her way over to the cheerfully grinning man. He was like a child who’d been given their first book, practically bursting with glee and boundless energy.  
  
“Lady Yarrow!” he exclaimed, “Good morning, did you sleep well? It’s looking like it’ll be a lovely day.”  
  
“I did, thank you. And the sun is shining with few clouds in sight so you are likely correct.” She told him with a nod, sparing a glance to the sky herself but unable to form any definite conclusions. The weather here felt different to the way it did on Jiyel.  
  
Yarrow knew that she should tell him that she was pleased to be here with him, but how to word it…  
  
Before she could finish formulating her response, he spoke again “What do you say to taking a wander around to see the natural beauty of the Isle, Lady Yarrow? The gardens are pretty but I am sure there is a lot more to see-”  
“Oh yes!” she interrupted him, “I’ve read wondrous things about the native flora here. This is such a rare opportunity.”  
  
Yarrow had managed to stop herself just short of gushing, the same didn’t hold true for Earl Emmett.  
  
“Exactly! Who knows how many undiscovered types of plants there are out there.” He told her with almost childish glee.  
“It seems that we should leave immediately then to make the best use of our time.” Yarrow responded, pleased that they appeared to have an appreciation for flora in common. Within seconds of the words leaving her mouth, he was off.  
  
Bemused, she trailed after the Earl as he led the way out of the gardens and towards some of the more densely vegetated areas within walking distance of the castle. Every so often his voice would trail back to her as he told her of this or that foreign Kingdom he’d been to that reminded him of certain plants they passed. He was proving to be a wealth of information on small and often remote communities that she’d never even read about in books. As for the Isle itself, it truly was a fascinating place to be, if she had years to comb over every inch of the place it still probably wouldn’t be enough.  
  
The Earl was fit, all his traveling must have given him a lot of experience walking across all kinds of terrain. It was an area that Yarrow found herself lacking in, having spent a of time in front of books or climbing out her window and into well hidden spots where she could sit and observe the locals going about their everyday lives. But she wouldn’t let the small protests of her body faze her, pressing on to keep up with Earl Emmett.  
  
“Give me a holler if you’re having any problems keeping up.” He called back to her cheerfully while his long strides continued to set a formidable pace. If the man hadn’t been so genuinely kind-hearted Yarrow would have sworn that the Matchmaker had sent him to test her physical endurance.  
  
Then he stopped and spun around suddenly before she could catch her breath enough to respond, “We could pause here for a spell if you’d like?” Emmett suggested, then admitted sheepishly “My sister has often scolded me for walking too fast and forgetting how difficult it can be for ladies to walk in their layered dresses and such.”  
  
The thought of trying to keep up with Earl’s brisk pace while wearing such a dress was a nightmare in the making. It made Yarrow very, very pleased that she had insisted on something more appropriate.  
  
“Oh no.” She told him as she took the chance to catch up, “If we stop now, we’ll return later. I’m fine, I assure you.”  
  
And if she passed out at least he’d be able to drag her back to the castle. It would certainly save her feet from the trek back.  
  
Just as he was about to bound off into the undergrowth like an overly exuberant hare, the Earl stopped short with an exclamation of surprise.  
  
“Look, yarrow!” he said with delight.  
“… Yes?” she replied slowly. It was a bit informal for him to call her by her name directly, but she certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone.  
His face was full of delight as he waved her response off, “No! I mean-” here he did practically dive into the undergrowth.  
  
Thinking of her maids and butler, Yarrow respectfully resisted the urge to follow and decided to stay where she was. Moments later Emmet emerged, hair a little more ruffled with an additional leaf or two hitching a free ride. But it was what was in his hand that caught her attention.  
  
“Yarrow!” he proclaimed again, pleased grin in place.  
  
And indeed, he was holding her namesake before her. Now, this wasn’t a particularly unusual or rare find. Yarrow, after all, was a fairly common herb often used to treat injuries. It was however sweet that he seemed so enthusiastic about finding it (granted, he seemed to share the same enthusiasm for many things), and she gracefully accepted the proffered flower.  
  
With its delicate white flowers and feathery green leaves the herb wasn’t particularly noteworthy. But given the right conditions it could spread quickly and become, as it did in some parts of Jiyel, a bit of a weed. Emmett had chosen this particular specimen rather well, it had no signs of insect damage or dead leaves. She thought it might look nice pressed.  
  
Tucking the flower safely into one of her sleeves Yarrow gave the Earl a smile of her own, “Thank you. Let’s see if we can find any of these mysterious Isle plants I’ve read so much of.”  
He beamed at her, “Certainly! One of the Isle staff told me that they had some grandiflora plants growing wild around here!”  
  
Thus their morning of searching began. Several hours later found them still bereft of any unusually large flower sightings, it was disappointing but not terribly surprising. Grandiflora were considered rare for a reason.  
  
A gurgling sound from the direction of the Earl’s stomach and her own growing hunger reminded Yarrow that food was in fact an essential requirement for all life, including her own. Acknowledging the Earl’s embarrassed look she straightened and dusted a few stray bits of vegetation off her dress.  
  
“Should we return? I wouldn’t want to miss lunch, they serve some of the tastiest food here.” She commented casually, glad when she caught the grateful look on his face as he agreed and they both headed back.  
  
By the time Yarrow set foot in her room she was sure there was a nice set of brand new blisters forming on her aching feet. Despite the disappointing lack of any interesting new plant discoveries she still considered the morning a success. The more time she spent with Earl Emmett, the better her chances of getting him interested enough to want to consider her as a marriage prospect.  
  
She flopped down on her bed with a large sigh, all this socializing really was exhausting. People from different Kingdoms were much more difficult to handle than tests, and coming from her that was really saying something.  
  
Rolling over Yarrow thought a bit of light reading was in order to help bring a bit of normality to her day. But as soon as she set eyes upon the neat stack of books on her desk, she knew something was wrong. It wasn’t that she was intimately acquainted with the books in question, indeed she dreaded Onyx going through a number of them to test her on their contents. No, it was simply the fact that all the books in her stack had varying dark coloured spines. Not a one had anything beyond a medium brown. Which made the one book on top of the pile bound in stark white leather stand out all the more. It was _not_ one of hers. It had been added by someone else.  
  
Sitting up with the days trials all but forgotten, Yarrow eyed the small ivory intruder to her book pile curiously. As she’d already noted, it was an unusual colour of leather to bind a book with, and it had no title on the spine, nor the cover as she leaned forward to inspect it. Onyx was likely the one behind the mysterious appearance of this book, no doubt either some obscure etiquette text or other form of literary torture.  
  
But curiosity thoroughly piqued, Yarrow had little choice in the matter. She slid into the desk chair and carefully picked up the mystery book, flipping the cover open with an odd combination of dread and excitement.  
  
It was blank.  
  
Flipping to the next page revealed the same thing, and the next and the next-  
  
“Ah!” she gasped, quickly drawing her hand back from the book.  
  
A thin line of crimson welled up on one finger tip, a bead of blood gathering at one end.  
  
Having many prior experiences with such injuries before, Yarrow knew exactly what to do. She stuck said digit in her mouth and proceeded to continue flipping through the book, albeit more cautiously.  
  
Her search was not in vain. For although the book had seemed like a blank volume for…. She shuddered at the thought… taking down notes and performing tests on the contents of the other books, there was something else in it. A letter.  
  
Why would Onyx put a letter in a blank book in her room?  
  
Shrugging, she unfolded the parchment and began to peruse its contents. Then stopped.  
  
The letter was addressed to cousin Jiya.  
  
A quick scan of the flowing script revealed something much, much worse than a foreign friend simply being misinformed about her cousin’s unexpected change in marital status. No, it seemed the real reason cousin Jiya had suddenly decided to up and marry was because she would have faced death had she attended the Summit. It was a sobering realization to come to. That threats of death were not only present at the Summit, but appeared to come from Yarrow’s own Kingdom, and be directed at someone closely related to her too. She shuddered to think of what might have happened had her cousin not come up with a quick and effective solution to the problem.  
  
But…  
  
Yarrow frowned.  
  
Jiya hadn’t gone. Yarrow herself had been sent in her place (which, if they’d been aiming for a much less spectacular delegate, well they’d hit their mark). Surely the letter sender would have known that, so… Why had this letter still ended up _here_?  Did they forget to retract their orders to deliver it? Not have enough time to do so… ? And if so… Was that threat of death still in place? These were very troubling thoughts.  
  
But worrying wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Her best course of action appeared to be waiting, watching, being cautious, and preparing as best she could. For anything. If she were lucky this letter had simply been mistakenly delivered and she’d have nothing more to worry about.  
  
Course of action decided upon, she nodded to herself, puzzled over the letter for a few minutes more and then tucked it neatly away in a drawer. Maybe she could help cousin Jiya figure out who was behind it when she returned. That is, assuming she didn't manage to secure a marriage for herself she thought with a ghost of a smile flitting across her face as she examined the yarrow flower sitting upon her desk. The odds were certainly not in her favour, but staying positive sometimes helped with these things.  
  
Surely being married to a man such as Earl Emmett couldn't be too bad. He was certainly kind enough.  
  
Now where could she find a small vase for the flower...

 


End file.
